Time and remote control system



Nev. s, 1938. c, w NESSELL 2,135,991

TIME AND REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug. 24, 1935 ill! 7 if Patented Nov. 8, 1938 uoltso S'l-ATES PATENT oesics TEIE AND REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Application August 24, was, Serial No. 37,777

{This invention relates to combined time control and remote control systems and has particular utility in controlling radio sets.

it is an object of this invention to provide o control system whereby a mechanism may be remotely positioned, or may be moved to ore= dellfrmineo positions at precleteimlued intet= ya i More specifically, it is an object of this ll1Vn-= tion to provide a control system for 9. radio set whereby the condenser shaft thereof may "ne seniotely operated, and whereby the shott may he placed in predetermined positions at oreileteo mhierl times.

lei objects and advantages will become to those skilled in the art upon cetet .se accompanying specification, claims sis, which drawing is (liegromillustrated the control system of this spoiled to a condenser ill oi e onset shaft it is positioned to the condenses t is also tototecl. 1 sees it which uctioi'l gees train to "1 ll. The motor 'EQllOliS lsee coemteol by ilelcl windings lo ontl it], respectively, the achie ement losing such upon ei'ierglsstlon out theiield winding l3 shott it is moved in one direction, end upon energizatlon of the hold winding ill the shaft 53 is moved in the c ogsosite section.

located clothe shalt i8 is a bevelled gear to engaging a bevelled gear ti carrying oil-shut meet megoher 22. The abutment member 22 is moxie oi insulated material and carries a slider Ell ecleotetl to slide across a balancing potentiometei coil 2 3. "Upon rotation of the shaft 63 the slioler is moyeclecross the coil 2t in a olirec tioo depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft The abutment member 22 is likewise provlcleii with fingers 25 and 2%. Upon movement oi the abutment member M to so extreme counterclockwise position the finger is adapted to engage a contact ill to break contact between this contact El and a stationary contact 2%. Likewise, upon movement of the abutment 22 to an extreme clockwise position, the finger 2B is adapted to engage a contact 29 to move the contact 29 out of engagement with a stationary contact 39. In this marines the contests 21, 2t, 29 and 30 foi'm limit switches.

This invention contemplates the use of a time switch and any time switch known in the art may be utilized therein. However, for purposes of illustration, 1 have shown this time switch to comprise a rotor it operated by a leld winding 32 to -rotate a shaft 3% at a constant speed through a reduction gear train 33. iidiustably mounted on the shaft 3% are cams 35, 3%, 31, i8 and 39, which are moved in a clockwise direction by the shaft 3t. These come. contain equally spaced high dwells which are adapted to sequels tially engage contact arms it, ll, ll, and M,

respectively. The contact orms til, G6, 32,

oiicl are adapted to sequentially engage con-= tects 65, it, Gil, and ll, the time of engagemesit of the contacts by the contact some losing dependent upon the length of the dwells on the cams, one upon the speed of rotation of the cams. For purposes of illustration, the high dwells ere designed to maintain their respective contact arms in engagement with the associated contacts tor a period of one hour, and since five coins are used in this .exempliilcation I takes five hours for the shaft M to complete one revolution. The number of cams, the length of the cam dwells and the speed of the shaft may he variecl to suit the particular installation. The contacts it, ll, and ill are connected by means of wires so, 56, 52, E53 and lit, respec== tively, to sliders 55, 56, ll, 58 and es, respectively. The sliders 55, lit, El, 58 and 5e are adapted to he manually positioned along potentiometer coils ti, 6E, and lit, respectively, in any suitable manner.

This invention also contemplates the use of e remotely located potentiometer which may take the form of a resistance coil 66, slidably engagecl by a manually operated slider 65. A single pole double throw switch is also utilized in this invention and may take any form, but for purposes of illustration in this application it is shown to comprise a switch arm 61 alternately engageable with spaced contacts 68 and 69.

Leading from some source of power; not shown, are line wires ill and ll. Connected across these line wires is a primary 12 of a stepdown transformer l3, having a secondary ll. One end of the secondary M is connected by a wire '75 to one end of the field winding 32, and the other end of the secondary 14 is connected by a wire 16 to the-other end of the field winding 32 to energize the field winding 32 to cause continuous operation of the time switch.

Also connected across the line wires 10 and H is a primary 11 of a step-down transformer 18, having a secondary 19. One end of the secondary 19 is connected by wires and 8I and a protective resistance 82 to one end of a coil 83. In a like manner the other end of the secondary 19 is connected by a wire 84 and a protective resistance 85 to one end of a coil 88. The coils 83 and 88 are connected together at their inner ends. The junction of wire 8| and the protective resistance 82 is connected by wires 81 and 88 to one end of the resistance coil 88 of the remotely located potentiometer. In a like manner the junction of the wire 84 and protective resistance 85 is-connected by wires 89 and 90 to the other end of the resistance coil 88 of the remotely located potentiometer. The junction of the wires 80 and BI is connected by a wire 9I to one end of the balancing potentiometer coil 24 and the other end of the balancing potentiometer coil 24 is connected by wires 93 and 92 to the junction of the wires 89 and 90. The potentiometer coils 80, BI, 82, 83 and 84 are connected across the wires 88 and 98 leading to the remotely lo cated potentiometer by wires 98 and 95. Therefore, the potentiometer coils 80, SI, 82, 83, 88 and 88 are located in parallel. The junction of the coils 83 and 88 is connected by wires 98 and 91 to the switch arm 8? and by wires 98 and 98 to the slider 28 associated with the balancing potentiometer coil 28. The contact arms 40, 8t, 42, 43 and 0 of the time switch are connected by wires 99 and I00 to the contact 88 associated with the switch arm 81. The contact 89 is connected to the slider 85 of the remotely located potentiometer by the wire IN. The junction of the wires 92 and 93 is connected by a wire I02 to a pivoted switch arm I03. Cooperating with this pivoted switch arm I03 are spaced contacts I04 and I05, the contact I04 being connected to the contact 29 of the limit switch by the wire I08, and the contact I05 being connected to contact 28 of the limit switch by a wire I01. Contact 30 is connected by .a wire I08 to one end of the field winding I9, and the contact 21 is connected by a wire I09 to one end of the field winding I8. The other ends of the field Windings I8 and I9 are connected together and by a wire I I0 to the junction of wires 81 and 88. The switch arm I03 is operated by an armature II I through a spring II2 so that when the coil 83 is energized more than the coil 88 the switch arm I 03 is moved into engagement with contact I04, and when the coil 88 is energized more than the coil 83 the switch arm I03 is moved into engagement with the contact I05.

From the above wiring connections it is seen that the left hand ends of the secondary 19, the coil 83 and the potentiometer coils 50, 8|, 82, 83 and 84, the upper end of the potentiometer coil 88 and the right hand end of the balancing potentiometer 24 are connected together. Likewise, the right hand ends of the secondary 19, the coil 88, the potentiometer coils 80, SI, 82, 83 and 84, the lower end of the potentiometer coil 88, and the left hand end of the balancing potentiometer coil 24 are connected together. Also, it is seen that the junction of the coils 83 and 88, and the sliders 23 and 85 are connected together when the switch arm is in engagement with the contact 89. Likewise, it is seen that when the switch arm 81 is in engagement with the contact 88, one or the other of the sliders 55, 58, 51, 58 and 59 are connected to the slider 23 and the junction of the coils 83 and 88.

Therefore, the coils 83 and 88, secondary 18, the balancing potentiometer 24 and the control potentiometers 80, 8|, 82, 83, 84 and 88 are connected in parallel.

Assume the parts in the position shown in the drawing with the switch arm 81 in engagement with the contact 89, whereby the slider 85 of the remotely located potentiometer is electrically connected to toe coils 83 and 88. The slider 85 and the slider 23 are located in a mid position, consequently, the coils 83 and 88 are equally energized to maintain the switch arm I03 in its mid position to maintain the condenser shaft I0 also in its mid position. Movement of the slider 85 upwardly with respect to the coil 88 causes shunting or short-circuiting of the coil 83 to decrease the energizaton thereof and increase the energization of the coil 88. Due to this unbalanced relationship of the coils 83 and 88, the switch arm I03 is moved into engagement with the contact I05 to complete a circuit from the secondary 19 through wires 84, 89, 92 and I02, switch arm I03, contact 05, wire I01, contacts 28 and 21, wire I09, field winding I8 and wires H8, 81, 8i and 80, back to the secondary 19. This causes energization of the field winding I8 to rotate the shaft I3 in a direction to move the slider 23 to the left with respect to its resistance coil 24. Movement of the shaft-I3 also causes movement of the condenser shaft I0 of the radio set. Movement of the slider 23 towards the left causes short-circuiting or shunting of the coil 88 to decrease the energization thereof and to increase the energization of the coil 83, it being remembered that the energization of the coil 88 was increased and the energization of the coil 83 was decreased by the upward movement of the slider 85 of the remotely located potentiometer. When the slider 23 has moved sufficiently far to the left to re-balance the energization of the coils 83 and 88 the switch arm I03 is moved out of engagement with the contact I05 to the mid position shown in the drawing to break the circuit through the field winding I8 to stop rotation of the shaft i8.

Movement of the slider 85 downwardly causes short-circuiting or shunting of the coil 88 to decrease the energization thereof and increase the energization ofthe coil 83. This causes movement of the switch arm I03 into engagement with the contact I04 to complete a circuit from the secondary 19 through wires 84, 89, 92 and I02, switch arm I03, contact I04, wire I08, contacts 29 and 30, wire I08, field winding I9 and wires H0, 81, 8I and 88, back to the secondary 19. Completion of this circuit causes energization of the field winding I9 to rotate the shaft I3 and, consequently, the condenser shaft I0 in the opposite direction and to move the slider 28 to the right with respect to its resistancecoil 24. Movement of the slider 23 towards the right causes shunting or short-circuiting of the coil 83 to decrease the energization thereof and increase the energization of the coil 88, it being remembered that the coil 83 was energized more than the coil 88 by the downward movement of the slider 85 of the remotely located potentiometer. When the slider 23 has moved sufficiently far to the right the coils 83 and 88 are rebalanced to move the switch arm I03 out of engagement with the contact I04 to the mid position shown in the drawing. This causes deenergization of the field winding I9 to stop further rotation of the shaft I8. and, consequently, the condenser shaft I 0.

, remotely located potentiometer.

moved to either extreme position-I The protective resistances 82 and 85 are provided in the control circuit to prevent burning out of the coils 83 and 86 when the slider is moved to either extreme position.

From the above it is seen that I have provided a remote control system for positioning a condenser shaft of a radio set or for positioning any other mechanism whereby the condenser shaft or other mechanism is made to assume a position corresponding to the position of a slider of a By reason of this construction, the stations, the reception of which is desired, may be selected from some remote point.

This invention also contemplates a system of control where a plurality of stations may be selected in advance, and wherein these stations may be tuned in at predetermined times. In

order to obtain this time control of the radio set' the switch arm 61 is moved into engagement with the contact 68 and by reason of this movement one of the sliders 55, 56, 51, 58 or 59 is electrically connected to the junction of the coils 83 and 86. The time switch determines the slider which shall be so connected. The slider 55 may be adjusted for one station, slider 56 may be adjusted for another, and likewise the sliders 51, 58 and 59 may be adjusted for other stations, suitable dial mechanism, not shown, being provided to facilitate the proper movement of the sliders. With the parts in the position shown in the drawing, and with the switch arm 51 in engagement with the contact 68, the slider 51 associated with the resistance coil 62 is in control of the condenser shaft l0. Since the slider 51 is in a mid position the condenser shaft I0 is likewise in a mid position. The station obtained by this time setting will be received until the contact arm 42 is moved out of engagement with the contact 41. Movement of the contact arm 43 into engagement with the contact 48 places the slider 58 in command and the condenser shaft I0 is moved to a newposition as determined by the position of the slider 58 in the manner pointed out above with respect to movement of the slider 65. Like operation is obtained when the contact arm 44 is moved into engagement with the contact 49, or when the contact arms 40 and 4| are moved into engagement with the contacts 45 and 46. In this manner any station may be received and .the time'at which this station shall be received may be definitely ascertained.

From the above it is seen that I have not only provided a remote control system for a radio set or other mechanism, but I have provided a time control system wherein any number of predetermined positions of the condenser shaft or other mechanism may be selected in advance, and wherein the condenser shaft or other mechanism may be moved to these positions at predetermined times.

Although I have disclosed oneform of my invention, it is apparent that other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled in the art and, consequently, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the prior art,

I claim as my invention:

1. In a system of the class described, the com,- bination of a condenser shaft for a radio set, motor means for positioning said condenser shaft, and a remotely located variable resistance type controller for controlling said motor means,

means for causing the motor means to position the condenser shaft in proportional correspondence to the adjustments of said controller, a plurality of other variable resistance type controllers for controlling also said motor means, each of said plurality of other controllers being adjustable, means for causing the motor means to move said condenser shaft to predetermined positions as determined by the adjustment of said other controllers, time controlled means for placing the control of said motor means under the control of any of said plurality of other controllers, and means for selectively placing the motor means under the control of the remotely located controller or the plurality of other controllers whereby the radio set may be remotely controlled or tuned into various stations at predetermined times.

2. In a system of the class described, the combination of a mechanism to be controlled, motor means for positioning said mechanism, a plurality of separate, remotely located resistances for controlling said motor, each resistance having a contact arm manually adjustable to any point thereon, means for causing the motor to adjust said mechanism to assume a position determined by the position of the contact arm, and time actuated means for selectively placing said motor under the control of any one of said resistances.

' In a system of the class described, the com-.

-bination of a condenser shaft for a radio set,

ment, said control means causing the motor to adjust the condenser shaft to assume a position which is determined by the position assumed by any one of said contact arms, selecting means for determining which of the controllers shall be in control of said motor, and time actuated means for placing the motor under control of any one of said resistance elements of the second controller.

CLARENCE W. NESSELL. 

